Was it meant to be?

I arrive home that evening, after the auction, and decide to log on to the auctioneers website to put myself through the pain of seeing what the plot sold for at auction.
It did not sell… Can you believe it?

It had been passed in at auction a mere £1,500 below the reserve, which was £6,500 less than I had been prepared to pay just the day before!

By this point I had accepted the fact that the land had gone but now it was potentially back on although I did not want to get too excited.

I call my solicitor the next morning only to find that he is out of the office until lunchtime! Aaaargh – terrible timing – what could possibly be more important than him being in the office in readiness for this…

I then call the auctioneer who, after I fully explained the reasoning behind why we were not able to complete on the plot just 2 days earlier, seems to accept the explanation and lose the tone in his voice.

I explained that I was keen to go ahead with the purchase then at the new price to which he said I would have to complete today etc. and that he was also going to call the guy who had previously shown an interest…(replace this wording with some mutterings about agents and use expletives if necessary)

So I then email the solicitor to say the plot is available, the vendor should be willing to co-operate to get the adverse land registry search removed, the new price and could he please move on it asap.
I could but sit and wait…

After a brief phone call with my solicitor after he gets into the office I then receive just 3 more emails from him that afternoon; here they are in brief and my thoughts at each point:

1. 12.54pm
Words to the effect of: ‘Have spoken with vendor’s solicitor and various arrangements are being made regarding the removal of search by previous buyer’

OMG! This is good; that means they are co-operating, fingers crossed, but how long will this process take? Is it days, weeks or hours..? As per usual with solicitors email correspondence it is decidedly vague. Does he not realise how important this is and could he not be a little more specific or positive (Although I cant call him again as I think he is growing slightly tiresome of the amount of calls he has had with me this week)

2. 2.50pm
‘Have sent the funds to other solicitor and requested completion today…’

Wow – does this mean this is it?! Again no details regarding the previous issue being looked into/resolved. I assume this has been solved – Excellent!
And dare I say it we are the final step!!
I guess issues were resolved, I guess the other guy has not come back to the auctioneer, I guess they are happy to proceed at that price?
My solicitor will never make a good script writer – He has a lot of work to do in creating more drama within each scene.

3. 5.22pm
‘Congratulations, the completion has now been effected. I will be in touch next week regarding completion statement and return of funds to you. Have a good weekend.’

Woo Hoo!!!! Queue music and clapping and cheering in the background! We have done it!
I just can’t believe it!

We expected to feel more jubilation, but in fact there is sense of relief more than anything. After all the events of the week the land is ours, and for £6,500 less than we had been prepared to pay which is a great bonus.
Honesty can’t believe it – after 18 months of searching in earnest and 3 years since the thought was really borne we are further progressed than ever but still with a way to go.
Time to plan the next steps and the all important planning application… But for now a time to celebrate and reflect on the moment.